Results 6,861-6,880 of 19,445 for speaker:Brian Cowen

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I do not have that information before me but I shall make inquiries and come back to the Deputy.

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have no problem with the fact that the Republic was declared in 1949.

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Republic to which the Deputy referred was declared in 1949.

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: As the Deputy noted, last year the Government announced plans to commemorate the Great Famine with an annual memorial day, reflecting support expressed by Oireachtas Members from all parties. The national Famine commemoration committee has now agreed that the annual Famine memorial should rotate between the four provinces of Ireland. It was proposed that Skibbereen should be the venue for...

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I shall check on that.

Commemorative Events. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The absence of money caused many of the problems of the Famine.

Public Service Reform. (28 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 8, inclusive, together. The Government statement on transforming public services, TPS, and the report of the task force on the public service were published on 26 November last and set out an ambitious programme of renewal for the entire public service. Implementation of the change programme is being overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Transforming...

Written Answers — Council of Europe: Council of Europe (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: As a founding member, Ireland attaches particular importance to the Council of Europe and its institutions. For that reason, my colleague the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Micheál Martin, has accepted an invitation from the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Foreign Minister Moratinos of Spain, to attend a specially convened meeting of the Committee of...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table. For reasons of confidentiality and taking into account the provisions of Data Protection legislation, it would not be appropriate to reveal information on staff who have been on uncertified sick days and who were sent for independent doctors' opinions; mine is a small Department and such disclosure could...

Written Answers — Official Engagements: Official Engagements (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I have no plans to invite Prime Minister Rudd to Ireland in 2009 nor have I any knowledge of his seeking to travel here this year. Prime Minister Rudd would of course be most welcome to visit Ireland should a visit be proposed.

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I understand that the Minister has answered parliamentary questions on this matter and alluded to the fact that the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is now involved in reviewing the case. As the Deputy knows, when this matter was brought to the attention of the Minister for Transport just before last weekend, he asked that a review of the original file be sought from the Department's...

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: An issue here arose which is being investigated by the relevant authorities - the Garda. The Minister asked for the file, and it arrived yesterday evening. Obviously, he will look at that. The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission is looking at it and we must go through that process. Clearly, if whatever arises out of it - whatever lessons are to be learned whereby a person who, it seems,...

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: Having looked at the file, one then must find out how it happened. We set up in recent legislation a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission to ensure that there was an independent assessment of such matters and to ensure public confidence that they were being looked at in a proper and appropriate way. There is no difference between myself and the Deputy on the matter. Obviously, we want to...

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: On the first point Deputy Gilmore raised, as it happens the figures quoted in the newspapers this morning suggesting potential loss rates on foot of supports to the banking industry for Ireland do not appear in the IMF's final global financial stability report. I understand there was a figure in an earlier draft which the IMF did not use in the end. These figures should not be relied on as...

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: With respect, I reject Deputy Gilmore's contention. He spoke about the game being up; we are not playing any game. We are in the serious business of trying to maintain financial stability in the State, against a background in which far stronger economies than ours are having to contend with the same mammoth task. Deputy Gilmore continues to use populist phrases such as "bail-outs".

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: I want to answer the question. We are interested in protecting the maximum number of jobs in the economy. If I have to say so once, twice or three times to Deputy Gilmore, unless we have a functioning banking system it is not possible to do that.

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Labour Party's position was to reject the State guarantee, an action which would have brought about the implosion of the banking system.

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Labour Party is against capitalisation and every other action because it wants to keep playing the populist game.

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: That is the Labour Party's game. It is getting much political kudos for it and hoping it will get it to the far side of June.

Leaders' Questions (22 Apr 2009)

Brian Cowen: The Government is involved in a more serious business. Like every other government, we will do whatever is necessary to maintain financial stability.